It is evident that the health and well-being of the poor people has not been the priority of our ruling elite, both, in the centre and in the provinces. The health of common man in the upper and lower Sindh districts is especially poor and pitiable. The health of rural women and girls is far worse in the province. It’s painful to reveal here that more than seventy percent children are anaemic in the rural areas.
While visiting various villages in the upper and lower Sindh districts, one can witness numerous basic health and rural health units which are devoid of all basic health needs and necessities such as essential medicines, electricity etc. Similarly, there are also several health units where doctors are still not appointed and if the doctors are appointed, then, there is neither paramedical staff nor the sanitary staff and other ancillary staff people. Shockingly, one can also see such basic health units (BHU) and rural health units (RHU) which have been converted into the traditional sitting place called Otaq and also the cattle-houses of the influential lot of the villages. Such is the pathetic condition of BHUs and RHUs in my home province.
When such is the condition of health units, then, why should not the province have such a highest rate of women dying during pregnancy process and also have a rate of mortality even due to common treatable diseases?
Since the BHUs and the RHUs are in the worst conditions in Sindh province, hence, the provincial rulers are requested to improve and upgrade those by providing all fundamental needs and necessities, both, in manpower- skilled and non-skilled, medicines and also requisite funds so that proper treatment may be given to the people in extreme poverty there so that they may lead economically productive and healthy lives.
HASHIM ABRO
Islamabad
